Dataset Information

TiO2-catalyzed synthesis of sugars from formaldehyde in extraterrestrial impacts on the early Earth.

ABSTRACT: Recent synthetic efforts aimed at reconstructing the beginning of life on our planet point at the plausibility of scenarios fueled by extraterrestrial energy sources. In the current work we show that beyond nucleobases the sugar components of the first informational polymers can be synthesized in this way. We demonstrate that a laser-induced high-energy chemistry combined with TiO2 catalysis readily produces a mixture of pentoses, among them ribose, arabinose and xylose. This chemistry might be highly relevant to the Late Heavy Bombardment period of Earth's history about 4-3.85 billion years ago. In addition, we present an in-depth theoretical analysis of the most challenging step of the reaction pathway, i.e., the TiO2-catalyzed dimerization of formaldehyde leading to glycolaldehyde.

SUBMITTER: Civis S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4793247 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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TiO2-catalyzed synthesis of sugars from formaldehyde in extraterrestrial impacts on the early Earth.

Civiš Svatopluk S Szabla Rafał R Szyja Bartłomiej M BM Smykowski Daniel D Ivanek Ondřej O Knížek Antonín A Kubelík Petr P Šponer Jiří J Ferus Martin M Šponer Judit E JE

Scientific reports 20160316

Recent synthetic efforts aimed at reconstructing the beginning of life on our planet point at the plausibility of scenarios fueled by extraterrestrial energy sources. In the current work we show that beyond nucleobases the sugar components of the first informational polymers can be synthesized in this way. We demonstrate that a laser-induced high-energy chemistry combined with TiO2 catalysis readily produces a mixture of pentoses, among them ribose, arabinose and xylose. This chemistry might be ...[more]

PMID: 26979666

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Project description:Summary The Human Impacts Database (www.anthroponumbers.org) is a curated, searchable resource housing quantitative data relating to the diverse anthropogenic impacts on our planet, with topics ranging from sea-level rise to livestock populations, greenhouse gas emissions, fertilizer use, and beyond. Each entry in the database reports a quantitative value (or a time series of values) along with clear referencing of the primary source, the method of measurement or estimation, an assessment of uncertainty, and links to the underlying data, as well as a permanent identifier called a Human Impacts ID (HuID). While there are other databases that house some of these values, they are typically focused on a single topic area, like energy usage or greenhouse gas emissions. The Human Impacts Database facilitates access to carefully curated data, acting as a quantitative resource pertaining to the myriad ways in which humans have an impact on the Earth, for practicing scientists, the general public, and those involved in education for sustainable development alike. We outline the structure of the database, describe our curation procedures, and use this database to generate a graphical summary of the current state of human impacts on the Earth, illustrating both their numerical values and their intimate interconnections. Graphical abstract Highlights • We present a holistic view of the many ways humans alter Earth at a global scale• We consider how these global quantities vary across geography• We further explore the time- and population-dependent dynamics of these impacts• We enumerate and describe key properties associated with each entry in the database The bigger picture Over the last 10,000 years, human activities have transformed Earth through farming, forestry, mining, and industry. The complex results of these activities are now observed and quantified as “human impacts” on Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, biosphere, and geochemistry. While myriad studies have explored facets of human impacts on the planet, they are necessarily technical and often highly focused. Thus, finding reliable quantitative information requires a significant investment of time to assess each quantity and associated uncertainty. We present the Human Impacts Database (www.anthroponumbers.org), which houses a diverse array of such quantities. We review a subset of these values and how they help build intuition for understanding the Earth-human system. While collation alone does not tell us how to best ameliorate human impacts, we contend that any future plans should be made in light of a quantitative understanding of the interconnected ways in which humans influence the planet. The environmental impacts of human action on Earth are being felt on many fronts. Despite our deep knowledge of these impacts, finding reliable quantitative information is burdensome, often requiring domain expertise and programmatic acumen. We present the Human Impacts Database, which houses a diverse array of quantities regarding human impacts, making them easily accessible and searchable. We use this database to present a broad view of the Anthropocene, exploring the global magnitudes, spatial dependence, and temporal dynamics of human impacts.

Dataset Information

TiO2-catalyzed synthesis of sugars from formaldehyde in extraterrestrial impacts on the early Earth.

Publications

TiO2-catalyzed synthesis of sugars from formaldehyde in extraterrestrial impacts on the early Earth.

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